Olive harvest drops by 10 per cent — ministry

AMMAN — The olive harvest is expected to drop by 10 per cent this year due to weather conditions, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Wednesday.

Rainfall distribution fluctuated over winter and there were several heatwaves during summer, Ministry Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said, noting that the weather led to smaller harvests. 

Olive presses across the Kingdom are scheduled to open their doors next Monday, and the ministry said that most farmers had already finished harvesting olives.

“Initial figures indicate that 180,000 tonnes of olives were picked during this season, while 26,000 tonnes of olive oil will be produced and 36,000 tonnes of olives will be pickled. The figures are 10 per cent lower than last year,” Haddadin said.

In 2015, 200,000 tonnes of olives were picked, while 29,000 tonnes of olive oil was produced and 44,000 tonnes of olives were pickled.

Olive farmers said the smaller harvest this year would likely lead to a rise in olive oil prices, speculating that the 16-litre olive oil tin will sell for JD80-90.

With more than 20 million trees across the Kingdom, Jordan is among the top 10 olive producing countries in the world.

A total of 125 olive oil presses are spread across the country, especially in the central and northern regions, with an investment volume exceeding JD200 million.